Motorcycles arriving at Weirs Beah

Weirs Beach

At Laconia - We Ride

June 10th-18th, 2023 - New Hampshire – home to America’s Original Riding Rally®

LACONIA, NH, UNITED STATES, May 24, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- With the 100th Progressive Laconia Motorcycle Week^® less than a month away, the city of Laconia and the entire state of New Hampshire are bracing for what could be a record year. “The interest and bookings for the 100th was unprecedented this year,” says Cynthia Makris, President of NASWA Resort in Laconia. “We booked up several months earlier than normal and haven’t seen that since the 1990’s. People are coming from all over the country and North and South America- far and wide!”

Lodging properties across the state are reporting much the same. The milestone year coupled with the official end of the pandemic have motorcycle enthusiasts deciding, more than ever, that it’s time to hit the road. Nearly 300,000 people attended the Rally last year, with many more expected this year to converge on the small community of Weirs Beach in Laconia, epicenter of the event. Naturally, such a surge in population presents its challenges. “The process for preparing for this year’s Laconia Motorcycle Week started last year – literally right after the 2022 event ended,” explains Matthew Canfield, Chief of the Laconia Police Department. “We meet regularly with the Special Event Committee, including all city department heads to discuss the challenges of hosting an event of this size. Naturally, our first priority is safety. Route 3, the only way in and out of the Weirs Beach area, is a popular route for both tourists and commuters, particularly in the summer. Add in an event like Motorcycle Week and you’re facing challenging traffic issues. As such, we rely on State Police and officers from neighboring communities to help us out.”

Of course, the expected surge in visitors is great news for local businesses like Laconia Harley-Davidson. "People are pumped. You can feel it or even read it out there on social. Everyone is coming," says Lyndsey Cole, Laconia Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Week Manager. "We had tens of thousands of riders stopping by our dealership last year. We're anticipating that number to jump drastically this year, so we have reached out to our sister stores for help. We’ll be flying in staff from all over the country, Ohio, Florida, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, to accommodate our customers. It's all hands-on deck here.”

Riders can anticipate many of the same events that helped bring Laconia Motorcycle Week to prominence, like the Gunstock Hill Climb, Loudon Classic at NH Motor Speedway and the dozens of organized rides and gypsy tours that lead motorcyclists across the state. New this year are special events and celebrations commemorating the 100th year like multiple fireworks displays, various motorcycle giveaways and the first ever attendance by One Eyed Jack’s Saloon, setting up shop in the Weirs Beach Drive In and hosting live music during the week, culminating with a free performance by the band, Jackyl.

“Make no mistake about it,” adds Chief Canfield. “We embrace this event. It’s a big part of who we are as a town and as a state. We want people to come experience the excitement of the country’s longest running rally. Just ride safely and celebrate responsibly while you’re here so we can honorably pay tribute to this uniquely New Hampshire event . . . this year and into the next century.”

Laconia Motorcycle Week^® gives great appreciation to all of our sponsors, especially our Presenting Sponsors: Progressive, AMSOIL and Team Motorcycle, as well as the State of New Hampshire for their large financial support of our rally each year.
For more information about visiting the state of NH, check out visitnh.gov.

Laconia - where rallies were invented!

Jennifer Anderson
Laconia Motorcycle Week Assoc.
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